A vehicle-mounted battery assembly is provided with a negative terminal and a positive terminal which protrude from the assembly. Electric cables are connected to the negative terminal and the positive terminal, respectively, by fastening bolts to ring-type connection metal fittings in the state in which the connection metal fittings are fixed to ends of the electric cable by a standoff or the like and are respectively engaged with the negative terminal and the positive terminal. In the case where a distance between the terminals of the battery is short, the tool may be brought into contact with both negative and positive terminals to cause a short circuit in the terminals when the electric cables are connected to the terminals.
A terminal block including a structure for preventing the short circuit is disclosed in Patent Document 1.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-157828A
(Patent Disclosed in Patent Document 1)
The patent disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a cover which is slid between the positive terminal and the negative terminal in the battery. In the case of performing the operation of connecting the electric cable to one terminal, the cover is slid to the opposite terminal, so that the terminal is opened while the opposite terminal is covered. As a result, the positive terminal and the negative terminal are not simultaneously exposed, thereby preventing the positive and negative terminals from being short-circuited due to the fact that the tool is brought into contact with both positive and negative terminals when the electric cable is connected to the terminals,
(Problem of the Patent Disclosed in Patent Document 1)
In the patent disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the cover is slid between the positive terminal and the negative terminal, it is difficult to apply the patent in the case where there is a stepped portion between the positive terminal and the negative terminal of the battery, or there is no space for attaching the slide cover.
Also, in addition to the cover for covering the terminals, since a slide cover for restricting opening and closing is required, the number of components is increased.